This workshop will be held in-person at the Newberry.
Interested in exploring the Newberry’s vast collection of rare books, maps, manuscripts, and primary sources but not sure where to start? Then this session is for you.
In an informal orientation, Newberry librarians will introduce you to the Newberry and break down how to use our collection. If you’re new to the Newberry, new to research libraries, or an occasional visitor ready to take your humanities research to the next level, “Newberry 101” is a must.
The session will last approximately an hour. Following the orientation, you’re welcome to stick around for a guided tour of the library. You can also begin exploring our collections in the General Reading Room, where a reference librarian can provide assistance.
In order to maximize your research time, please register in advance as a Newberry Reader. Click on https://requests.newberry.org and select “Create an Account.”
If you’re attending the in-person event, please bring your own laptop. Refreshments will be provided.
Join as we transcribe handwritten letters from the Newberry’s collections for National Volunteer Week! You’ll get a chance to use our crowdsourcing site, Newberry Transcribe, to unlock first-hand accounts of history by creating searchable text for primary sources.
In addition, you’ll read letters from the peak of the settlement house era written by prominent reformers such as Graham Taylor and Jane Addams. Expert librarians and curators at the Newberry will also share their expertise on early-20th century social activism.
No transcribing experience is necessary! Everyone is welcome. You can choose to drop in for a bit or stay for the whole session.
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [CAGML-247293-OMLS-20].
This virtual program will be presented in Spanish and English, with English subtitles. The program will be available to view on our YouTube channel starting on 4/2; we will send the URL to registrants.
In celebration of International Children’s Book Day, join us for insight into the Newberry’s little-known collection of Spanish-language books for children and youth, and learn about the importance of children’s literature in facilitating discussions about critical social and emotional issues. For caregivers and educators, these books serve to open conversation about serious topics affecting children across the world, including migration, forced marriage, and gender diversity.
The conversation will take place between representatives of the Newberry, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México-Chicago, and book publisher Ediciones El Naranjo.
En Español
Este programa se presentará en español e inglés, con subtítulos en inglés.
En celebración del Día Internacional del Libro Infantil, únase a nosotros para conocer la poco conocida colección de libros en español para niños y jóvenes de Newberry, y aprenda sobre la importancia de la literatura infantil en la discusión de temas sociales y emocionales críticos. Para los cuidadores y educadores, estos libros sirven para abrir la conversación sobre temas serios que afectan a los niños de todo el mundo, incluida la migración, el matrimonio forzado y la diversidad de género.
La conversación se llevará a cabo entre representantes de Newberry, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México-Chicago, y la editorial Ediciones El Naranjo.
This program will be held in-person at the Newberry and livestreamed on Zoom. The online version of this event will be live captioned. Please register below.
This installment of “Conversations at the Newberry” features award-winning novelists Rebecca Makkai and Meg Wolitzer.
In this event, Chicago author Rebecca Makkai (I Have Some Questions for You, The Great Believers) will interview New York-based and New York Times bestselling author Meg Wolitzer (The Female Persuasion, The Interestings) about a life in books, her growth as an author, her film adaptations—including 2017’s The Wife—and her new role as host of Public Radio’s popular Selected Shorts podcast.
This program also marks the launch of a new series curated by Rebecca Makkai and StoryStudio, which will pair major visiting authors in conversation with local discussion partners. Unlike bookstore or festival events promoting an author’s latest book, these evenings will highlight the author’s whole career, with a focus on the craft of writing. Perfect for readers and writers alike, each event will celebrate one author’s work—a glimpse behind the creative curtain, a chance to ask questions, and an opportunity to mingle with other literary folk. You’ll also be able to purchase books and have them signed.
The event, generously sponsored by Sue and Melvin Gray and presented in collaboration with StoryStudio Chicago, is free to the public.
This program will be held in-person at the Newberry and livestreamed on Zoom. The online version of this event will be live captioned. Please register below.
Join us for an in-depth look at the Newberry’s rich holdings of choirbooks from colonial Mexico, which combined European forms with Indigenous traditions to produce new spiritual music.
This roundtable discussion will examine the books and music from three diverse perspectives: music historian Ireri Chávez-Bárcenas will illuminate the cultural context of the music, art historian Claudia Brittenham will consider the material aspects of the Newberry’s large-scale books, and renowned early music vocalist Ellen Hargis will share the experience of researching and performing the music today. Clips of recordings of music from these historic books will serve as the soundtrack for the conversation.
Colleen McGaughey (she/her) is the director of development at the National Public Housing Museum, where she leads the strategic direction of the museum’s fundraising efforts with a focus on creative and community-centric approaches.
Mario Longoni
Board Member
Mario Longoni is a cultural anthropologist (“Lead Environmental Social Scientist”) in the Keller Science Action Center at the Field Museum. For over 20 years, he has worked with individuals and organizations to surface and activate cultural and natural assets (specific strengths and characteristics) to help communities meet the challenges they face.
Rob Fojtik
Board Member
Rob Fojtik is Vice President for Neighborhood Strategy at Choose Chicago, the city’s official tourism and convention promotion bureau. In this capacity, Rob oversees efforts to promote and support Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods to visitors from near and far. Programs include the award-winning Neighborhood Content Creator program that leverages resident-made digital content, and Chicago Alfresco, a $2.5 million placemaking initiative created in partnership with the Chicago Department of Transportation to transform public spaces into community plazas for outdoor enjoyment.
Before coming to Choose Chicago, Rob was a Senior Advisor to Mayor Lightfoot on economic development and international relations at City Hall, as well as LGTBQ+ affairs and the expanded outdoor dining program. In this role, he also worked to recommend and place over 150 civic leaders and residents onto City boards and commissions. Prior to government service in the Lightfoot administration, Rob ran her winning campaign in the crowded 2019 Chicago mayoral race as Chief of Staff. In past lives, Rob has worked as a public affairs manager for a Fortune 500 company downtown; had misadventures in management consulting, art sales, and personal cheffing; and spent time in Washington DC working for former Secretary of Defense William Cohen. Rob also served a one-year appointment at the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence as a policy advisor on Central and Eastern Europe. In this role, he was part of the NSC’s interagency process to develop a comprehensive sanctions regime on Russia as a consequence of its 2014 invasion of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine.
After receiving his BA in Slavic Languages and Literature at Northwestern University, Rob lived and worked in the Czech Republic teaching English and tending bar before moving to Washington, D.C. to pursue a MA from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies (CERES). He enjoys cooking, learning foreign languages, hiking with his partner and their dog, and visiting Chicago’s many neighborhoods.
Paul Durica
Board Member
Dr. Paul Durica is the Director of Exhibitions at the Chicago History Museums and worked in a similar capacity at The Newberry Library. From 2015-2020, he served as the Director of Programs and Exhibitions with Illinois Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Prior to that he drew upon his work as a writer, researcher, and teacher to produce a series of free and interactive talks, walks, and reenactments focused on narratives from Chicago’s past that resonate with its present.
These public history programs led to collaborations with cultural institutions in the city such as the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, Chicago History Museum, Newberry Library, Chicago Architecture Foundation, Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Chicago Cultural Center among others.
Each program made use of both his original research and the skills of the arts organizations, community groups, local businesses, and publications that acted as my partners. Some of these programs, such as the full-scale reenactment of the Haymarket Affair in 2011, involved recruiting and directing over 300 volunteers and 1,000 participants.
To produce these programs successfully, he wrote grants; managed budgets; generated web content; worked closely with program partners of varying sizes and resources; and identified, engaged, and sustained a diverse multi-generational audience.
Lynessa Rico
Board Member
Dr. Lynessa M. Rico is the Associate Chair of the Business Psychology Department at the The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Chicago campus. She is also a business mentor at 1871.
Lynessa is a results-driven Strategic Consultant with over 25 years of experience enabling leaders to meet strategic business objectives by identifying and aligning business growth opportunities with strategic direction of culturally diverse organizations. By leveraging her strategic experience in identifying and impacting business growth opportunities and maximizing profits in retail firms and higher education institutions, Lynessa leads workshops focused on the creative mindset, women’s entrepreneurship, emotional intelligence, and the value and application of design thinking within entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Her services also include consulting with and educating leadership on emotional intelligence, the power of design thinking and the creative mindset, and leadership styles to support inclusive, creative workplaces. She has presented to leadership and innovation teams in small, mid-size, and Fortune 500 companies.
Lynessa received her undergraduate degrees in Marketing and Management from Wichita State University. She then went on to earn a master’s degree in Business Administration from Wichita State University with a focus in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. After earning her master’s degree, Lynessa received her doctorate in Business Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology where she successfully completed her dissertation titled, “The Relationship Between Personality Types and Color Preference for Color Combinations.” Her current research interests include women’s entrepreneurship, design thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, and entrepreneurship self-efficacy.
Outside of work and research, Lynessa enjoys mentoring start-ups and judging pitch competitions. Lynessa currently resides in Chicago, Illinois with her four cats. She is an avid long-distance runner, having completed 5 full marathons (and counting), and enjoys watching musical theater.
Briana Thomas
Board Member
Briana Thomas is the Museum Associate at the Abrahamic Center for Cultural Education (a core member of the Chicago Cultural Alliance). She wears many hats including developing exhibition content, facilitating community programs (children and adults), liaising with visitor artists, and other responsibilities. Her previous experience in the nonprofit space includes her tenure as the Financial Empowerment Coordinator at AMERICORPS Sharing Life Center as well as engaging with the public at the Dallas Arboretum. Her past professional experience has remained rooted in marginalized communities. It is their needs,discourse and histories that she has routinely been tasked with protecting and showcasing in the face of poor infrastructure, and willing ignorance. Creating safe spaces is an ancestral practice she has inherited.
